Electronic content insurance system

Abstract

A method of managing risk in an electronic content insurance system includes an electronic actuarial agent detecting a risk factor present in a computing environment. The method continues with the electronic actuarial agent assigning a probability that the risk factor will be a cause of a loss of a content object stored in the computing environment, and the electronic actuarial agent performing one of notifying a user of the computing environment of the risk factor and acting to mitigate the risk factor.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] As computerized equipment, including desktop and portable computing devices, digital entertainment devices, digital cameras, and processor-based communication devices becomes more and more pervasive, the amount of data under the care of the typical computer user continues to increase. For instance, in the 1980s, the average user may have owned only a few compact disc (CD) audio recordings and perhaps a handful of general-purpose “floppy” diskettes containing other data. In the 1990s, the average user continued to accumulate audio recordings on compact discs, and began storing photographs and video content on laptop and desktop computer hard drives. In the current decade, these trends continue as videocassette recorders are replaced by digital versatile disc (DVD) recorders and analog cameras are replaced by their digital counterparts. As these technologies progress into the future, users can expect to find themselves having to manage ever-increasin...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Although the quality of digital storage media continues to improve, these media are nonetheless subject to catastrophic failure.

For example, CDs and DVDs containing a user's favorite audio recordings or movies can become scratched from wear and rough handling.

In another example, the hard disk of a desktop or a laptop computer can experience a “head crash” or other mechanical failure that renders the disk inoperative.

In a further example, the integrity of the data stored on a laptop or desktop computer hard drive can become compromised due to the infection of the computer system by a virus or other malicious software.

Finally, flash memory cards used in digital cameras, which may store all the of the user's pictures of his or her most recent vacation, can become lost or misplaced when the user returns home.

Images